History Camp 2014 Survey Results

History Camp Survey Results
March 19, 2014

History Camp
• History Camp, the first unconference dedicated to history, took place on March 8,
2014 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Anyone could sign up to speak and anyone
could attend for free, but they were asked to register. All of the spots were taken
in the days before the event. 129 people attended the 23 sessions and 2 panels.
More information about History Camp is at www.HistoryCamp.org.

The schedule is online as a public Google document

Introduction
About the survey
Results
Overall
Content
Logistics
Shortcomings
Responses
Respondent profiles and states
First heard about it
After heard about I
Registered because
Would have attended
Would have stayed
Attend if held a year from now
Refer to a friend or colleague
Rate relative to expectations
Fell short
Fell far short
Would present
Supporter tables
Author tables
Would have gotten more out of History
Camp and enjoyed it more
Really liked sessions/speakers
Disappointed with sessions/speakers
If held again, what I hope is different
If held again, sessions or panels
Organizational supporters
Individual supporters
For more information
Contents

Introduction
• The results that follow are based on a survey sent to everyone who signed up for
the History Camp mailing list, including everyone who registered, regardless of
whether or not they attended, and people who only signed up for updates but
never registered.
– All groups were included in order to understand the process from initial interest all the
way through to attendance, including what caused them to be interested initially and
what kept them from attending.
– Individuals who did not attend were not shown questions about the sessions or other
aspects of the event itself.
• The goal of the survey was the same as one of the primary goals of History Camp:
To understand whether the format worked, whether it should be held again, and if
so, what changes should be made.

About the survey
• Conducted online using Survey Gizmo.
– 205 people received two e-mail messages about the survey.
– Both made it clear in the subject line that the survey was for everyone, even if they
hadn’t attended.
– The open rate was 60% and 55%.
• The survey was available to complete from March 14 – March 18.
• The response rate was quite good
– 129 people attended History Camp
– 86 of the 115 respondents attended History Camp

Results: History Camp overall
• Most people enjoyed History Camp.
– For 95% of respondents, History Camp met, exceeded, or greatly exceeded their
expectations.
– 98% would probably or definitely recommend History Camp to a friend or colleague
interested in history who lived in the area.
– 94% would probably or definitely attend if it were held in the same area next year.
• One of the subjects that appears in many of the comments is enjoying having a day
dedicated to history and meeting so many others interested in history.
Selected verbatim comments appear on the following page. All verbatim comments
appear later in the slides.

Results: History Camp overall
“I registered for History Camp because . . .”
I am extremely interested in history and thought the nonconference style fit my
needs.
I wanted to fill my history well.
I wanted to meet with, learn from, and exchange ideas with others involved in local
history
Excellent sessions, interesting people
Great sessions and panels. Good demo products.
I had high hopes, many were met.
I hoped it would be good . . . and it was great
Reasons given for their rating of History Camp relative to their expectations:

Results: History Camp content
• Other than two sessions, remarks about topics and speakers were generally
positive. One person felt that more research needed to be done before people
were approved to speak. Another wished that speakers were more “accredited.”
 One of the core ideas behind the unconference format is that anyone can speak,
regardless of whether they have traditional credentials. In the opening remarks, people were
encouraged to move to a different presentation if they weren’t satisfied with the one they
were attending. As was noted by at least one respondent, the size and layout of some of the
rooms made it hard to get up and leave during a talk.
• Some expressed a desire for history topics other than from the Revolutionary era
or, more broadly, other than American history.
 Anyone who wanted could have presented on any history-related topic. People were
invited to add new talks that morning, and it was made clear that there were rooms and time
slots to accommodate additional talks.
• Comments about the the unconference format were generally positive.
• The reaction to the sponsor and author tables was generally positive; no one
expressed any feeling that the event was too commercial. Some were interested
in more book tables and displays.

Results: History Camp logistics
• The biggest complaint was the tight scheduling, with many feeling was that there
wasn’t enough time to both hear the presentation and take questions. When
sessions ran over, this created problems for those who followed.
• Similarly, there was very little time for networking with other attendees.
• There was no formal session wrapping up the day.
• The location and facility were rated highly.
• A few people wished there had been other choices for lunch.
 We didn’t have enough money to cater in Panera or similar, though we tried, so we
handled all of the food ourselves to hold down costs and looked at several pizza places in
Cambridge to get the best quality we could find. Salad, yogurt, fruit, and granola bars were
provided to supplement the pizza.
• One mentioned a desire for recycling.
 We should have explained that the office building does single stream recycling so
everything was going to be sorted and recycled even though there weren’t separate bins for
recycling.

Results: History Camp shortcomings
• Looking closely at people who didn’t attend for a reason other than illness or a
conflict with work, those or left early, and those who felt that History Camp fell
short or far short of their expectations, the primary issues were . . .
– More topics, including more advanced or in-depth topics
 Unlike traditional conferences, the content of an unconference is dictated by the
attendees. Anyone who wished could have walked in that morning and presented on
other history-related topics.
– More time for sessions

About the responses
• In order to encourage as much participation as possible, most of the questions
were optional.
• People who didn’t attended weren’t asked questions about speakers, the facility,
and related event details.
• All of the verbatim comments for selected questions are included with the
exception of negative comments that referred to specific individuals. In those
cases, constructive feedback was forwarded to the individuals mentioned.

n = 106
Respondents represented a broad cross-section of people involved with history,
including those who work directly with history, volunteer with history organizations,
and those who simply have a deep interest in history.

State (incl. region, country) 106 total respondents
Massachusetts 88
Maine 4
New York 3
Rhode Island 3
Connecticut 1
New Hampshire 1
Vermont 1
New Jersey 1
Florida 1
Virginia 1
Washington 1
Australia 1
Unsurprisingly, most respondents were from Massachusetts. All the other states in
New England were represented, as were New York, New Jersey, and a few from
much further away.

Word of mouth was most important, as it usually is. Social media, including
LinkedIn, was also important. The flyer distribution wasn’t worth it.
n = 115

There were 161 people registered. Of these, 34 did not attend. Based on e-mail
messages received and responses to a question in the survey, the primary reasons
people didn’t attend were illness, family emergencies, and a change to work
schedules.
n = 115

“I registered for History Camp because . . . “
• Responses appear on the following pages.
• Most had to do with the person’s love of history and the opportunity to meet
others with the the same passion.
• Some added that the fact it was free, and some that it was on a Saturday.
• There were a few reasons that were unexpected, and they are indicated in bold.
They are along these themes:
– The unconference format
– Network with others for work-related reasons
– Gather information to take back to their local historical society
– First conference ever attended
– Opportunity to present

Because in general I love historical conferences and panels (and heard John Bell was coming)
History buff, and local tour guide.
I am a historian (on the Board of a local Historical Society) and a big history fan.
I am a history buff I wanted to attend an "unconference" the location was very convenient
I am curious about the intersection between research and archives
I am extremely interested in history and thought the nonconference style fit my needs
I am interested in History, and later I was asked to present.
I am interested in bringing American History to the people in a commercial format.
I am interested in history learning opportunities for adults.
I like history and I'm currently applying to History PhD programs.
I like history, especially local history, and the initial speaker list looked really enticing.
I love History, wanted to learn more, and wanted to network.
I love history (I'm doing my masters in Public History)- and I want an alt-ac job in history

I love history and things organized by people!
I love history and wanted to network with others.
I love history!
I thought, and still think, it was a great idea.
I wanted to fill my history well.
I wanted to hear the speakers and spend time with historians and re-enactors.
I wanted to learn about how financial records are used to support historical research
I wanted to learn more about techniques in the history field.
I wanted to meet with, learn from, and exchange ideas with others involved in local history
I wanted to see how an unconference works and because I wanted to support it.
I was incredibly excited to meet more history enthusiasts and share ideas.
I was interested in meeting others in the profession.

I work for Hstry, we were sponsoring and it was good opportunity to meet historians.
I'm a history nerd
Interested to see format, network, seemed some interesting content
Interesting speakers & topics
It looked creative, fun, well put together, and grounded with some good speakers.
It seemed like a good and fun networking opportunity.
It seemed like a good opportunity to learn more about some historical topics I’m interested in.
It sounded fun and one of my friends agreed to go with me.
It sounded like a fun and interesting way to spend a Saturday
It sounded like a great opportunity to meet people and learn
It sounded like fun and I might gain career skills
It's such a great idea!
Lectures/ like-minded people.

Lee asked me to. And it sounded like fun.
Lee told me about it and it sounded very interesting...
Like history; make connections with like folks.
Love history and try to absorb as much as possible.
My husband and good friend Jen Deaderick told me about it.
Networking
Personal interest
Several of the talks appealed to me
Sounded like fun, and I like to encourage history activities of all kinds.
Thought it was a great idea/fun and free!
To participate and meet other history buffs.
Was interested in learning some specifics about history.

Was interested in what Camp would be like -- what the presentations et al would be about
asked to present
idea
interested in revolutionary era history
it looked like the kind of event I would enjoy
it sounded fun and relaxed and was free.
it sounded interesting, and I work in the field.
I am a history buff, wanted to see the presentations and meet people. (Not a professional
historian.)
I have a general interest in history and I don't often get to attend workshops on historical
topics.
I'm a history fanatic, first and foremost, but it was also an opportunity for me to make
connections relevant to my work.
I had travelled to Boston from Australia to use archives, and I knew it was on. I thought it would
be a good opportunity to meet likeminded historians.

I like to support efforts outside of the academy and it seemed interesting plus offered job
hunting hints/networking
I was looking for networking opportunities and it seemed like a fun way to engage with local
history and see what other people are working on.
it offered a large variety of topics i was interested in learning about. I like history and enjoyed
the kind of history you don’t often hear about.
I thought it would be exciting to meet others interested in history and to learn about new
subjects.
I am an educator with a strong interest in history, I work with pre-service teachers and am
always looking for resources. I also have recently become involved with an all volunteer
historical society in Maine and I was specifically looking for ideas and resources to bring back
to the Board and the Education Committee.
I had never attended a conference before and wanted to get experience speaking at one. Plus,
I wanted to meet new people!
I wanted to alert more people I thought would be interested in attending my show Drums Along
the Mohawk Outdoor Drama.

I saw presenters who would be speaking about topics I was interested in, and I was eager for an
opportunity to learn about them!
it sounded like an excellent meeting place for academics, public historians, and people who love
history to meet and share knowledge and expertise
It seemed like it would be an interesting event, offering a variety of lectures and an opportunity
to interact with others with similar interests.
I love history and was looking for fun activities to do over Spring Break, so it killed two birds
with one stone!
I have a BA in the subject but work on high tech. Wanted to mingle with other History nerds,
and learn something new.
the topics were interesting and I was eager to share some of my research with those who would
appreciate it.
I loved the do-it-yourself aspect, and I loved watching it develop. The speakers looked
interesting, too.
I thought it would be an excellent way to draw feedback from fellow historians and learn about
happenings in the history realm.

I am inspired by other volunteers and professionals who are passionate about local history. My
time is limited, so I find such experiences to be so helpful in making contacts and gathering
information and "tools" to make my volunteer time more effective and proper given my lack
of "professional" credentials. I was particularly interested in meeting folks who may have
experience with a small museum and small group of volunteers.
An unconference sounded like a fun idea. I also recognized some of the organizers, so I knew
that it would be an interesting and engaging event.
I was very excited about the opportunity to network and attend presentations that would assist
me in my volunteer role at our local historical society.
history is awesome and I thought it would be a good opportunity to network and meet other
people who also love history.
I thought it would be a fun and relaxed way to learn about history. As a casual history-lover, that
sounded like a great way to spend a Saturday.
it's so freakin' cool to hear people take an itty bitty historical detail and give a detailed
explanation of it. Something about allowing people to make it free form that allows them to
talk ONLY about what they love. And ... it's FREE. How could I go wrong??

A friend was going to meet me there and the Salem Witches/social history talks looked
interesting. I don't work in the field, so wasn't interested in how-to's.
I was interested in experiences an unconferences for those interested in history. I also had
some ideas in my head that I wanted to present on, but never found an outlet for my ideas
until HistoryCamp.
I'm interested in History, I'm thinking about taking History courses or enrolling in a graduate
program in History.
I love history and it looked like a great venue to learn about local history. Also, I knew it was the
first year it was being put together and wanted to support it. I also consider it a great venue to
present and am thinking of topics I could present on at future History Camps
I'm an Reenactor / Living Historian and interested in looking for opportunities and for
networking
I am an artist and my paintings are inspired by "historic lore" and historic figures. I was
interested in the free admission! and the fact presentations were given by professionals and
amateurs. I think history is subjective, as my paintings are my interpretation of historic events. I
went for inspiration and to participate in an open forum. The free part was key for myself since I
drove with friends from Connecticut. Thank you fan interesting day.

“I would have attended if . . . “
• “I wasn't as busy, my friend had gone and there were more talks on
histories of oppression, oppressed peoples or clothing.”

“I would have probably stayed for the rest of the day if . . . “
• “the sessions had been more diverse in the scopes of geographic, time, and
subject areas.”
• “it was better organized ...I understand hiccups during an inaugural conference but
one speaker failed to show up due to poor communication with the direction. I
would have stayed longer if the employment (find a job in history etc...) wasn't so
disappointing. I really wish more research had been done before the panelists
were approved to speak.” [Other comments about specific panelists being out of
touch with current hiring practices.]

n = 50
Three out of four definitely would go to History Camp if it is held next year; 94%
probably would go or definitely would go. (Includes responses from people who
weren’t able to attend this year.)

n = 88
Two out of three definitely would recommend History Camp; 98% probably or
definitely would. (Shown to only those who attended.)

More than half of attendees reported that History Camp exceeded their
expectations. Only 5% felt it fell short or far short of their expectations. Their
explanations are shown first, followed by all respondents. (Shown to only those
who attended.)
n = 90

“Fell short of my expectations“
Four respondents selected “Fell short;” two answered why:
• “I wish the sessions were longer, the presenters had a difficult time
communicating their point in the half hour allotted. I also wish the sessions had
been a little more illuminating. I expected a bit more of an academic kind of feel.
Some of the presenters were sharing information that could be helpful and
illuminating to some people who are just history buffs, but I wanted sessions that
would really add to my knowledge base about history. (Like the difference
between original research and just a summary of popular public history books)”
• “Some talks covered material I already knew. One was pure self-promotion of bad
content and there was no way to sneak out of the room. There were some
interesting bits in some talks.”

“Fell far short of my expectations“
One respondent selected “Fell far short:”
• “The sessions were very idiosyncratic and too focused on the Revolution period.”

Rating History Camp relative to their expectations
A couple of the presentations were so-so, but the rest were phenomenal.
Definitely an interesting mix of content sessions and more practical how to sessions.
Excellent sessions, interesting people
Extremely well-organized, great group of attendees, really interesting presentations
FOOD is essential to learning - well done!
Great sessions and panels. Good demo products.
I had high hopes, many were met.
I hoped it would be good . . . and it was great!
I wasn't sure what to expect but it was great to be surrounded by others who enjoy history..
I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was a lot of fun.
Impressed by the level of interest, taking up all available places in advance.
It was an interesting conference with a lot of different lecturers.

It was well-organized, sessions were interesting, and there was a great mix of topics.
The sessions were very idiosyncratic and too focused on the Revolution period.
There was such a variety of people and backgrounds that it made things very interesting.
Would have liked some of the presentations to be less driven by market research.
i did not realize when i signed up that there would be that many sessions to choose from all
day.
solid presenters, great venue, good support
I was worried that as a layperson, I would feel incredibly out of place. Indeed, when the
morning introductions were done, I was worried that I had made a huge mistake. But as the
day went on, I didn't feel that any of the talks I chose were beyond my understanding or
interest. It was a really fun time. I think the format works well, since a 30 minute talk is just
long enough to convey an idea (if the speaker is rehearsed and moves quickly), but short
enough that if you find yourself in an uninteresting talk, the end is near.

It was a lot more fun than I expected! The group was a lot more diverse (in terms of
professional backgrounds, stages in their career, etc) than I expected.
I did not look at the lineup before that morning. I was able to find plenty of topics that
interested me.
I was impressed with the number of talks that were offered and the professionalism of the
speakers. Also, the event was extremely well organized, the space was perfect, and the lunch
was very nice.
I'd register again in a heart beat. I was fun to meet people from such a wide variety of
background and interest.
some talks covered material I already knew. One was pure self-promotion of bad content and
there was no way to sneak out of the room. There were some interesting bits in some talks.
I wish the sessions were longer, the presenters had a difficult time communicating their point
in the half hour allotted. I also wish the sessions had been a little more illuminating. I
expected a bit more of an academic kind of feel. Some of the presenters were sharing
information that could be helpful and illuminating to some people who are just history buffs,
but I wanted sessions that would really add to my knowledge base about history. (Like the
difference between original research and just a summary of popular public history books)

The people were great and genuinely interested in what everyone was doing and what they
had to say.
Even though I did not attend any of the sessions, I noticed the topics. I was interested and
impressed with the topics of discussion.
I absolutely loved the first two, and last three presentation I attended. But some of the
presenters in the middle were kind of "meh." From others I spoke with, it seemed that I
probably just picked dud speakers and I wish I could have access to some of the other
presentation notes.
It was session heavy in the afternoon. I wished there was a 15-30 minute coffee and
networking break in the afternoon. The last session could include an incentive, like a raffle,
to have people leave at the end.
I had no idea so many people were attending, and I had no idea so many people were
interested in my session! It was a great way for me to shake some of my nerves about
presenting in public.
The sessions were mostly good, but mixed. The better sessions were creative and historically
serious. The poorer sessions were thin historically and not interactive.
It was exciting to, each hour, be able to, on a whim, pick a fascinating topic to explore in
depth. It was very social too.

There were so many different subjects and genres of history, all of them interesting, that it
was difficult to choose which lectures to attend. I wish I could have been in 2 or 3 places at
once.
Both of the sessions that fell below expectations were run by the same person . . . As a
result, two subsequent sessions in that room started late, the second of them so late that it
was interrupted and ended at about its halfway mark. This was disappointing and avoidable.
There was a great variety of subjects discussed. The presenters and attendees alike
represented a diverse cross-section of career historians.
I came away with ideas and resources and I will be sharing those this week at the historical
society
I enjoyed the casual environment, the food, the people, and most of the sessions. My only
negative feedback is that I wish that some of the presenters had been more focused and that
they had stuck to their time.
The variety of topics was amazing. No one leading the sessions I attended seemed like an
unapproachable "expert."

So many folks were happy to share information and encouragement. I especially admired the
younger "20 or 30 somethings" who were patient with some of us who are not so
technosavvy. I also liked meeting some of the folks who came to share information about
their publications, and historical reenactment and Museum Trek programs.
I was not sure what to expect. I had never been to an unconference. very well organized.
great space. good food. excellent greeting/welcomes.
All the programs were interesting, I met a lot of terrific people. I rarely meet anyone who
shares my excitement about history. Thanks especially for having everyone introduce
themselves.
I expected it to be a mix of history "classes" and other types of workshops relating to history.
Wish there had been better descriptions of the talks in the schedule. Would have helped
choosing which sessions to attend.
I was happy with most of the presentations, but one stuck out as being just a pitch for their
TV show and was not good. There were some presenters who were very scared, but
muddled through and I think this is a good place for those types of people to get their feet
wet in presenting.

For the first time for this event, I think it went well -- most of the folks who signed up to put
on presentations showed up and the ones I went to were informative and sometimes
standing/sitting-on-the-floor room only
Some top notch presenters and novice presenters all in one place. Sharing their interests and
livelihoods with peers. A very nice method to collaborate and showcase components in
history that might not have previously been available.
Most of the sessions were informative and provided me with new ideas or questions to think
about.
I found that it was a bit too America-centric for my tastes, but I also understand that, as we
are in Boston, it was likely to be focused on early American history. I would like to see more
non-American history next year!
I am always inspired by how others go about doing the work of research & what they find
out from primary resources
It was really fun! I liked the casual atmosphere a lot, and the size was just right â€“â€“ plenty
of cool people to talk to, but not so many that it was overwhelming. I hope it happens again
next year.

It had the potential of being really disorganized and/or chaotic, but instead it felt like a great
communal effort. The presentations were interesting, and felt intimate. Everyone felt like a
colleague.
There were a lot of different programs on a number of different topics. I liked that it was
informal.
The topics were great and varied enough that I wouldn't have gotten the breadth of
knowledge at any other single event.
The breadth and quality of the presentations, and the enthusiasm of the attendees, left a
good impression.
There was a lot of new material in some of the sessions, and other sessions, it felt like
nothing new.
Because I'm trying to determine if I should enroll in a graduate program in History and I'd like
to know the differences between the ones available locally.

One in ten said they would definitely like to present at a future History Camp; half
said they would seriously consider presenting.
n = 63

More than half learned something from the tables with information from
supporting organizations; only one felt they detracted.
n = 81

Similarly, more than half appreciated the author tables and engaged with the
authors.
n = 78

"I would have gotten more out of History Camp and enjoyed it more if . . .
...the sessions were longer.
A few of the speakers showed up for their presentation.
I could suggest topics.
I don't know. I had a good day
I had been able to access the WiFi to use and interact with social media during
History Camp
I had been able to stay for the entire day.
I had gone for the purpose of attending the presentations.
I think it would be hilarious to double up on the encouragement for reenactors to
dress up.
It had started an hour later.
Map to location was clear.

More non-u.s presentations,
More variety of topics, but some of that can't be controlled
I got a lot out of the sessions I attended.
Needs video taking/posting for those of us who cannot make it to Boston area.
Perhaps sessions were a tiny bit longer
Really the biggest issue was that one could attend only one session at a time.
Sessions had been 15 min longer for more Q&A
Several of the sessions were longer
Several sessions were too short time-wise
The sessions been broader in their geographic and time areas and less
idiosyncratic..

The sessions were longer.
The sessions were longer
The sessions were ten to fifteen minutes longer
The speakers had been more accredited and recognized within the history field.
There had been a greater variety of speakers beyond the Revolutionary War.
There was more of a variety of eras discussed.
There was more time at each session.
There were even more sessions to choose from!
Topics grouped by local historic interest.
better descriptions for panels, maybe an area that people could just hang out and
talk
only history content presenters participated in the individual sessions

parking weren't such a hassle
the presentations had been longer, less rushed and more about
Boston/Massachusetts history.
the sessions were longer enough to accommodate going beyond the basics.
there were more opportunities to just sit and chat with folks!
If I lived closer to Cambridge ..........I would have come early enough...but. But I
was able to come late and still enjoy the day. If the doors were locked after the
start, maybe someone could be "paged" to open the door. If the "slide presenters"
(WWII ads) had been able to say "NO" to the one videographer so we could see
the Slides with lights down...it would have been better/easier to see
I had had more time. Was not able to stay to the end or go to the Massacre
reunion. Sorry about that,

we could have socialized in a bit more organized fashion during registration and
lunch time - maybe have gathering areas to "eat" by area of interest? This might
have made afforded more effective opportunities to engage in conversation with
the little time available.
... the sessions had been a bit higher-level and gone into more depth. It might also
have been helpful to divide into research tracks and living-history tracks. I hope
now that the first one has happened it can have greater outreach and offer more
speakers and draw more attendees in the future.
The history camp twitter handle was promoted more. I'm glad a number of people
participated online, but there could have been more, perhaps.
i found the place on time and if the breakfast was more substantial to last the
whole morning. next time starbucks coffee please. i would pay for better food in
the morning and good coffee in the afternoon.
I ran out of time during lunch! It was the only real downtime and I had lots of
people to catch up with, so I had barely sat down with my pizza before it was time
to catch the next session.

there was an open discussion session after some presentations. There were a lot
of professional attendees who could have added more insight into the subjects.
Wanted more time to mingle and meet other historians. I would like to see it fall
in winter when the lure of outdoor activities in nice weather does not conflict.
Admittedly it was an unusually nice Feb day.
There had been more graduate students presenting their work in progress and
professors discussing their research.
There were more discussion of current historiographic trends, of the role of the
public historian, of the dialogue between public historians, museums, archives,
educators, teachers, college professors, etc.
Have I mentioned coffee in the afternoon? And I did feel sad that I didn't get to
see everything. Video of everything would be great.
the subjects covered in the workshops were more global. They tended to be too
"precise" and didn't have a larger perspective of a historical event.

I really enjoyed the event. One small criticism would be that several events that
would appeal to the same audience were in the same time slots. For example, a
time slot with two RevWar talks, and another time slot with two women's history
talks. I really regretted having to choose between JL Bell's Boston Bankruptcy and
Liz Covart's Erie Canal.
The sessions that ran long didn't, and if there was more opportunity to interact
with the other people there.
The lectures were longer. I think to distinguish itself from NEHA and other
historical conferences, a thematically based one-day "camp" might be more
interesting. Would definitely like to see longer speeches. What's the rush? It's not
necessary to learn all in a day. Would rather delve more deeply into fewer topics
and really enjoy the topics. People sit in classrooms for three hours at a time. I
think we could sit in a conference session for 45 minutes to an hour and really get
to know a particular topic.

more in-depth topics or clearer descriptions so i would have known about depth. i
bet i missed some good stuff because i went to talks that turned out to be too
shallow
I know I should provide the sort of comments that would make another History
Camp that much better, but I was really happy with the day. Sorry not to be more
critical! Maybe there were some sessions where I wanted to see more than one of
the presentations but they were held concurrently so I had to choose. Hold
sessions more than once?

"I really liked these sessions / speakers:
All of the American history and public history presentations I went to.
All that I went to
Bromances and Frenemies, Rhode Island democracy, provenance
Colleen Janz and JLBell
Colonial army commissary
Elizabeth Covart, Adam Hassler, JL Bell, Thomas Ketchell
Eric Bauer, Thomas Ketchell, Adam Hasler, Adriene Katz
Founding Father Frenemies and How One Person Caused the American Revolution
Google Books, Using Social Media (with Lee), WWII propaganda, Crowdsourcing
newspapers
History of politics in RI, mannerisms and personalities in Copley paintings

History, Oral history
Hstry = Fabulous
I can't pick just one or two. Everything I attended was great.
I thought that the Bromances and Frenemies session was fun and original.
J. L. Bell!!!!! employment panel graduate school seminar
J. L. Bell, Sue Felshin, the talk on Temperance and Suffrage.
JL Bell. Frenemies and Bromances. Copley.
Lee and Paul's sessions, both of those by the Boston 1775 guy, and the crowd
sourcing one.
Liz Covart - excellent
Liz Covart and JL Bell

Liz Covart, J. L. Bell, Colleen Janz, Matt Williamson, Adam Hasler, and of course
Lee Wright!
Liz Covart: Saratoga and Second New England, Sam Forman: Copley
MHS session on crowd sourcing Erie Canal history, New York immigration history
Nice to see Sam Forman. What a plus!
Oral history, Harbottle Dorr/MHS, Marketing to groups
Provenance- Rico and Katz, Google Books
Rhode Island presentation, MHs presentation...
Sam Forman is a good speaker who used his material well.
Sam Forman's presentation on Account Books, JL Bell's The Boston Bankruptcy.
Saratoga, Boston bankruptcy, Copley, 18th century lace
Susan B Anthony, Folk songs

Susan B Anthony, Mass Historical, and Account books
The Boston Bankruptcy
The Bromances/Frenemies of the Founding Fathers
The John Singleton Copley paintings session was my favorite.
The Temperance Movement:A Doorway to Suffrage. Colleen Janz was very
interesting.
The one on the temperance movement, the one on account books.
War Bonds Advertising, Crowdsourcing Documents
mass hist soc / Dorr Rhode Island politics
Mass Historical Society Amazing – Bell Great subject and knowledge of subject –
Forman Loved both of his talks – Felshin Incredible knowledge on the subject

Pretty much everything I went to. There were a few time slots when I wanted to
attend multiple sessions, and some slots when nothing especially engaged my
interest, but you can't please everyone all of the time.
My "365 roving ideas for fun in Boston history" list is growing - I had great
conversations -- also loved the Susan B Anthony presentation
From "Folly" to Great Idea Political Music" (until it was interrupted and terminated
by the next session scheduled for that space) Bromances and Frenemies of the
Founding Fathers, John Singleton Copley in America, The Peculiar History of
Democracy in Rhode Island: 1636 - 2004
Erie Canal was exceptionally good. Found the crowd-sourcing indexing interesting.
Also like the folk music session.

Truthfully, I found something of interest in all the ones I attended, but that's an
advantage to being a person of broad interests with no depth in any! However, I
would have to say my favorites were the two presented by Sam Forman. I also
found the one on lace to be fascinating! (Surprisingly, the lace presenter and Sam
Forman's presentation on John Singleton Copley nicely complemented each
other! Who knew?)
Mixing Social Media and History, Marketing Your Historical Society to Teachers,
Tools to Help Your History Organization Reach more People. I am sure I would
have enjoyed the content sessions too (my husband did) but I was specifically
looking for "how to" this year.
J.L. Bell - always entertaining and authoritative. Liked his real-time on-line
demonstration of searching Google books for frequency of word and phrase usage
over time.
Using financial records for historical research, How the Mass Hist Soc is thinking
about citizen archivist support,

Colleen Janz was great talking about Temperance. I wished she had more time.
The presentation on Rhode Island was surprisingly good and entertaining. That
guy should come back for sure. I also really loved the presentation about Copley.
"Crowdsourcing Possibilities Relating to a collection or Revolutionary-ear
Newspapers" "How Mixing social media & history can create an online audience
for your institution [...]" Allie Rico (Speaker)
I liked all the speakers. In particular I liked the Oral History lecture, the lecture on
the excel based program to catalog items. I liked the talk on Susan B. Anthony. The
speaker was very enthusiastic and entertaining, but did not give enough credit to
Eliz. Cady Stanton re: the idea and conception of suffrage for women. I thought
the speaker re: the founding fathers and their friendships and rivalries was
interesting. Her passion for the subject translated to the rest of us. Mark
Gardiner's lecture on RI History was informative and presented in a very
entertaining way.

Crowdsourcing Possibilities Relating to a Collection of Revolution-era Newspapers
(Heywood & Barker), The Temperance Movement: A Doorway to Suffrage (Janz),
How mixing social media and history can create an online audience for your
institution, organization, or historical work (Ketchell) Tools to help your history
organization more people in person and online (Wright)

"I was disappointed with these sessions / speakers:
Employment
Everyone met or exceeded my expectations.
History jobs.
I missed so many!
None of them disappointed.
None, really.
Not disappointed with any sessions I attended.
Panel on publishing was good but needed more time with so many speakers
People in panel who refused to use microphones. Hearing impaired people like
history too.
Some presentations not particularly scholarly...just PowerPoints and chat.
no disappointments but I sat out some sessions due to lack of interest

"I was disappointed with these sessions / speakers:
The panels could have been a longer -- didn't feel like everything got to be
discussed that could have been for either panel.
No one, really. I found all the sessions engaging. Because everything I went to felt
informal and kind of communal, I never felt trapped in something boring.
Publishing panel because there were to many self published and not really a
discussion about going though the traditional means. It was interesting, but not
quite what I was hoping for.
No real disappointments, but I have to admit that I was less interested in the
"content" sessions and more interested in the sessions that dealt with public
history topics, research topics, outreach, etc.
the panel about getting published was frustrating because there were too many
panelists for such a short window, and the first audience member to ask a
question asked two or three follow-up questions, which took up the entire time.
Comments about individual sessions and presenters have been omitted above and
that feedback was sent directly to presenter or presenters named.

”If History Camp is held again next year, here’s what I hope is different:
A place to sit at lunch and better food options. Less rushed lectures.
Again, just the coffee in the afternoon issue. Really.
Diverse range of history represented--not just Rev. War!
I hope that no session will run over-time
Just different topics, everything else was great.
Keep finding awesome venues - Apple Store?
Longer and more sessions, which might mean going for two days. More
booksellers.
Longer lecture times, more food options.
Longer sessions
Maybe a longer lunch break, so there would be more time to chat with other
people

More book vendors, more Q&A
Perhaps more space to eat communally during lunch.
Perhaps one less session so we could have one or two longer sessions.
See answer to first question on this page. A general theme for the camp would be
welcome.
See boxes above...
Several times the sessions I wanted were at the same time, hope I'll have better
luck next time.
The day was a bit too long. I think that ending it at 4pm would have been better.
There are discussions about controversies over historical interpretations or
analysis.
WiFi access

another largish room -- some talks were too crowded
better parking situation
more on youth
more space in the session rooms, more historians from different areas/time
periods
see above but this is just because you asked. overall: Great conference. Pls do it
again.
that more people present and bring other perspectives to the discussion.
I'd like to get a certificate of attendance that could be applied to professional
development hours.
More consolidated layout of rooms, would have liked to bounced out of a lecture
and into a different one more easily. More focus on "main stage" speakers or
rock-star speakers getting a little longer time

better directions to the event, better coffee and coffee in the afternoon, a facility
where the workstation computers work if they are required to follow along the
lecture, historic novel author or authors maybe someone like William Martin,
Cape Cod, Back Bay, Harvard Yard, author.
As I mentioned earlier in my answers - I think it would be helpful to offer some
different-length sessions and asking speakers to pick their top preferences for
time when they submit a proposal, since some speakers ended early, some ended
right on time, and others went over their allotted time.
If we have another employment panel, it needs to be longer. With 6 speakers, 30
minutes was not nearly enough time. I would have liked to been able to answer
more questions from the audience.
If possible, I hope there are a few more interactive sessions. Are there people who
have topics/projects that would benefit from an unconference approach--people
really helping brainstorm or create something? (Maybe/maybe not?)

Better control of scheduled use of space. The Temperance Movement session
went well overtime (perhaps because it started late - I'm not sure) leading to
disruption of the following session in that space.
I hope to provide some of my costumed living history presentations, and possibly
a Printmaking demonstration. Although the time slot of 30 minutes is very
restrictive. But will try to work something out.
Allow a time for author tables (and misc. socializing) near the beginning or middle
of the day (but don't try to combine author tables with lunch). Have one or two
time slots that allow for longer presentations. Give presenters a time in the
morning (during registration??) when they can set up their technical equipment
and familiarize themselves with the system, so they don't have to do it in the 5
minutes just before their presentation begins.
Later start time, varied lengths for presentations, healthier munchies (fruit!), and
more strict on presenters about sticking to their allotted time.

Honestly ... I wouldn't change a thing. Sure ... if I PAID, I'd probably have more to
say here, but I like the fact that the sessions were SHORT and held my attention.
Somewhat longer sessions, perhaps a greater variety of authors and "vendors"
with people to staff them.
Overall, I'd just ask for a bit more downtime to be built in to address my first
answer. I know that's difficult with everything in one day, but a longer lunch could
help a lot.
Again, longer sessions. If you get enough interest from speakers that you can be
choosy, maybe be a little choosier.
Table for attendees to display one copy of their book(s) or magazine(s), not
attended all the time. Giveaway/handout table.
It would be cool if there were more interactive activities similar to the political
song sing-along panel, though I loved the lectures as well.
More intellectual conversations about the boundaries of history, public history,
local history, and the academy

I think it was a great event. I would like to see more variety in the lunch options,
or simply time to run out to the Galleria food court. I would also like better
wifi/cell coverage. But it was a great event.
An afternoon break for tea or coffee to network with people. That way it feels less
session hopping.
It would be very helpful to have the emails and web sites of presenters. There
were several sessions by presenters I would like to learn more about (and from)
but don't know how to contact them. Also, perhaps in the sign-up stage, you could
ask attendees if they would be willing to have their emails posted.
Limit the number of simultaneous sessions to just two at a time. Set the schedule
a bit earlier, so one can plan session attendance better.
I understand the 'unconference' concept, but it was hard to convince others to go
with the uncertainty of the content. Better descriptions of the sessions perhaps.
Perhaps a better ending wrap up.

”If History Camp is held again next year, I hope they have a session or
panel about . . .
19th & 20th century immigration, labor issues, ethnic and women's history. Local
history.
Anti-Racist history
Anything related to being entrepreneurial with history (like the session on
publishing).
Boston history, actually not that particular
Civil War something might be nice.
Civil war or Victorian Era or perhaps more modern history
Comstock & Free Love
Genealogy versus History (which is what I would like to talk about)
How & what primary resources are used for research & support presentations
given

panel about . . .
I was seriously bummed that both of the women-oriented panels got cancelled!
Internships, volunteer opportunities, civil war, or women's history.
It would be interesting to see some more Boston history.
Local history sources
Local history: for instance, the Lowell canals not the Erie canal
Material culture/ architecture
More ethnic variety...AfAm history, global issues
More on architecture
Museum Education - Broadening the Classroom Teacher's Horizons...
Social media, new media, digitizing archives, engaging a new audience.
The American Revolution in the Mohawk Valley of upstate NY.

panel about . . .
The police riots, watch and ward society, or Joseph Warren.
The variety of educational opportunities in the Boston area.
african american topic
employment, again anything about colonial Boston women's suffrage/ feminism
histories other than New England.
mix of colonial/revolutionary/civil war/post cw/modern
non-American history. Africa, Europe, Asia
sessions covering broader time periods and subjects.
the rest of the US, not just New England history, historical fiction
Incorporating research into living history, and living history into research. Teaching
history in non-classroom settings (like parks and re-enactments). How to share
historic research findings when you're not in the academy.

panel about . . .
If I'm feeling especially sure of myself, maybe I'll propose a session on 19th
century technologies that enabled landmaking in Boston.
It would be interesting to have some western history. And more diversity would be
great. The historic presentations were mostly on specific details about well-
covered history.
I would love a session specifically about small museums. As a volunteer myself (in
a leadership role), I think it might be helpful to include ways to organize, inspire
and manage other volunteers with precious time and resources to offer. There are
probably some creative ways to bring these needed resources to our special
Museum. :>)
job hunting and entrepreneurial ways to keep your "Love of History" joyful side
going loved the chat in the hallway about the history of photography & tin-types..
maybe invite Skinner Inc to sponsor or send someone
Just about anything would sound good to me - it was already difficult to pick
between many of the sessions this year!

panel about . . .
Issues facing public historians, Teaching in Boston area, Practical use of archives
for all HNN, Common-place, and Junto
The employment panel was useful and should be included again. Social media was
helpful and useful.
Topics other than just Revolutionary War (and doesn't have to be just Civil War
either). I'm sure there is more but I can't think of any at this time, will look to be
[more] active on the online discussion board.
Addressing particular audiences, such as children, minority communities, people
who don't usually visit historic sites.
I greatly enjoyed Sam Forman's Copley presentation and I would like to see more
about interpreting what we see in art as it relates to "real" history. General
sharing of lesser known online sites people can go to for information (something
along the line of what John Bell did with Google books). "Everyday life..." I find
these types of sessions fascinating, for example, "everyday life in an early 19th
century Maine fishing village" "or everyday life of a immigrant mill worker." I know
so little about the common man and social history prior to 1950.

panel about . . .
I love all history, but women's history interests me most. I also love local New
England History.
Employment panel for Historians is wonderful to have every year; maybe a
different theme each time (networking, finding work, career climbing).
I would love to host another session about objects as sources of history, and go
into more detail about using museum collections for research projects and the
like!
Re-enactor groups/ the experience of re-enacting. Filming documentaries (more
than tv series). Historical fiction how to/experience of writing historical
fiction/crowd-sourcing a work of historical fiction.
history of contemporary art in boston, the great molasses disaster in boston,
history of jazz in boston
I would be really interested in attending a session on the status of black slave and
free persons in Boston and the development of black institutions after the
revolution and the adoption of the Constitution.

panel about . . .
20th Century Boston History (Didn't see a session on this topic described in the
program, may have missed one)
I would be interested in presenting about Canadian-American history, a rarely
tapped subject in New England despite its proximity to Canada and rich Canadian
immigrant heritage.
Scandalous issues of some sort from the Revolutionary Era and Early Republic (for
lowbrow attendees), and popular versions of grad student dissertations (on the
ostensibly highbrow end of things).
Archaeology, historic preservation, digital history resources, wider range of
American history periods, maybe even a little Greco-Roman / Medieval action.

Special thanks to IBM and the folks at the IBM Client Center Cambridge for making
their facility available and to staff who volunteered their time and made sure
everything ran smoothly.
Organizational supporters
Provided financial underwriting to cover expenses so that History Camp could be free
for anyone who wanted to attend.

Individual supporters
Provided an additional financial contribution so that all expenses were covered and
anyone who wanted to attend History Camp could do so at no cost.
Paula Bagger
Charlie Bahne
Kathleen Barker
Michele Barker
Erik Bauer
Laurinda Bedingfield
J.L Bell
Daniel Bishop
libby Bouvier
Victoria Caldwell
Judith Cataldo
Suzan Ciaramicoli
Laura Cleary
Michelle Marchetti Coughlin
Elizabeth Covart
Matthew Ehrlich
Cynthia Finney
Samuel Forman
Christina Frei
Gary Gregory
Amy Gelbach
Jennifer Glick
Leslie Harrington
John Horrigan
J Lincoln Hallowell
Kathy Kottaridis
Joseph Lewerk
Ken Liss
Matthew List
Katy Love
Matthew Morin
Alli Rico
Elaine Robinson
Marilynne K. Roach
Beth Anne Royer
Anita Tebbetts
John Tebbetts
Leah Thompson
Lauren Walker
Paul Wexler
Lee Wright

Learn more about
History Camp and sign
up for updates
www.HistoryCamp.org
For additional
questions or to
discuss
Lee Wright
History Camp Founder
Lee@TheHistoryList.com

History Camp 2014 Survey Results

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History Camp 2014 Survey Results